This gorgeous white chocolate and tahini cake will no doubt wow your guests over the Christmas season.
For the base
- 250g unsalted butter, softened
- Half tsp vanilla natural extract
- 4 medium eggs, beaten
- 375g plain flour
- 1tsp baking powder
- 1tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 150g natural yoghurt
- 250g caster sugar
For the pretzels
- 150g White Chocolate
- 6 giant/jumbo pretzels, 6 standard pretzels
For the buttercream
- 100g white cooking chocolate
- 45g mixed broken pretzel pieces
- 115g unsalted butter, softened
For the coating
- 150g white cooking chocolate
- 300ml double cream
- 190g cream cheese
- 4tsp tahini
To decorate
- 100g white chocolate
- Heat the oven to 180C, 160C fan, gas 4. Grease and then line two 18cm tins with baking parchment. Beat 250g of the butter and sugar until creamy and pale. Gradually beat in the eggs, then mix in the Vanilla Extract. Mix the flour, Baking Powder and
- Bicarbonate of Soda then sieve into the bowl with the butter mixture, gently fold together. When almost combined add the yoghurt and continue to fold until smooth. Divide between the tins, smoothing the tops, bake for 25mins or until an inserted skewer comes out clean.
- Melt 150g of the White Chocolate, allow to cool slightly. One by one dip the 6 giant and 6 regular pretzels into the white chocolate to coat (you may need to do another coat once set), set on a tray lined with baking parchment. Leave somewhere cool and dry for around 1 hour to dry.
- For the buttercream filling; melt 100g of the White Chocolate, allow to cool slightly. Finely crush the remaining pretzel pieces then mix with the White Chocolate. Beat 115g of butter and 3tsp of tahini until creamy then beat in the chocolate mixture.
- For the coating; melt the remaining White Chocolate with 2tbsp of the cream, allow to cool slightly. Whisk the rest of the cream until starting to thicken, then add the cream cheese and 1tsp of tahini, mix until softly peaking. Fold a little into the White Chocolate then add it to the cream mixture, mix together until smooth and spreadable.
- To assemble; set one sponge on a serving plate then using a palette knife, spread the top with the buttercream filling then press the other sponge on top. Cover the whole thing with the White Chocolate coating. Arrange the large and small coated pretzels on top alternating with one jumbo set on its side and a small set on flat. Arrange the Chocolate Chunks around the bottom edge.